SpiceJet wing damaged while taxiing

New Delhi: In a freak incident, the wing of a Hyderabad-bound SpiceJet plane with 142 people onboard was damaged after pilot veered off the guiding line and hit a highmast light post while taxiing out of IGI airport here.

The DGCA has ordered a probe into the incident which happened around 7.40 PM yesterday, when SpiceJet`s Boeing 737-800, operating on Delhi-Hyderbad route (SG 239), was taxiing out of the parking bay to the runway for takeoff from Delhi airport. A spokesperson of the IGI airport operator -- Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said, "Preliminary observations suggest that the aircraft came off the taxiway guiding line and as a result it hit the post. Due to this the high mast light also got damaged." All the passengers on board were unaffected. Following the incident, the pilot of the aircraft aborted take-off and the passengers were sent to Hyderabad in a separate plane after a delay of about two hours, they said, adding the aircraft departed from Delhi at 21:25 hours. Terming the incident as minor, the airline, in a statement, said, "We are doing an internal investigation in this matter. We would like to reiterate that for SpiceJet, safety of its passengers is of utmost importance." PTI